Around two-and-a-half miles south of St. Thomas, you’ll discover Buck and Capella Islands. These two islands are a Mecca for local divers, and are joined by a narrow strip of sand. Just off the south side of this narrow strip, you can explore the underwater oasis often called the Coral Bowl, but we know better!!! Named for a diveboat captain named Joe, don’t ask why, we’ll never tell! With a depth of 30 to 80 feet, this popular dive site is filled with sea creatures of every type.

Joe's Jam looks like a bowl shaped slope starting in 30 feet and descending to 80 feet at its bottom. All around the sides of the bowl are sloping tiers of hard and soft corals, full of nooks and overhangs to explore. Schooling fish swim along the different levels, as lobsters, eels and nurse sharks watch from their protected homes. As you swim throughout the magnificent reefs, keep your eyes peeled for southern stingrays that can range up to six-and-a-half feet wingtip to wingtip.

As magnificent as this site is during the day, if you want a truly memorable experience, try diving it at night. As soon as the Caribbean sun sinks below the horizon, the ledges and overhangs of Joe's Jam come alive with sea creatures large and small. Giant green turtles will pass you by as they swim in from the depths to sleep in the reef. The finale of your day will be blocking you light for just a moment, and watching the reef light up with bioluminescence,rivaling the night time lights of Charlotte Amalie harbor for splendor and beauty .